Jets Open Home-and-Home With Loss Against Colorado

Thursday evening at Canada Life Centre marked the first of two-straight games between the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche.

After taking care of business against the league's No. 1 team by way of a 3-1 decision on March 14, the Jets were looking to do the same some 12 days later, in what was the first test of the extended home-and-home set between the two Central Division rivals.

In the middle of a tooth and nail playoff dogfight and needing every point possible as the season hits its final stretch, the Jets managed to hang with the best - at least for two periods.

Thursday's game was close, but not close enough, as the visitors took the victory by way of a 3-2 final. 

The Jets opened the scoring on Scheifele's 33rd of the season. Linemate Kyle Connor picked up the puck from Josh Morrissey and quickly fed his Scheifele, who one-timed it past Mackenzie Blackwood 9:55 into the game. 

Colorado battled back before the end of the frame, as Jack Drury jammed home his ninth of the year with 2:20 left to play. The goal came on the Avalanche's 11th and final shot of the period. They led the Jets by four shots, while the clubs battled to a 1-1 draw through 20 minutes of play. 

The middle stanza didn't provide anything statistically, but both clubs exchanged opportunities as the period wore on. 

With Jonathan Toews already in the box for a phantom hook, the referees penalized Elias Salomonsson for delay of game when he put the puck over the glass into the souvenir section. Colorado was unable to make it count on the ensuing two-man advantage, but Nathan MacKinnon put home the five-on-four power play marker, tapping home a loose puck just 13 seconds into the third period.

It was MacKinnon who extended Colorado's lead from one to two goals just under four minutes later, as he tapped home an Artturi Lehkonen offering for his 48th goal of the season. 

“I mean, they scored two quick ones, they get one on the power play, and then the two-on-one quick transition, especially that line, but that's their team," Perfetti reflected. "They're very good at transition, and it happened so quickly. It's tough to give that one up, but I mean, it is what it is. They're a skilled team, they're going to make plays, and I thought we did a really good job for most of the game, limiting them to not a lot, especially that line. But that's how good they are, that they can capitalize on few chances."

But midway through the period, Winnipeg struck, with Scheifele deflecting home his 34th of the season on a nifty passing play between Gabe Vilardi and Cole Perfetti, re-igniting the charge with 10 minutes to play in the period.

The goal was Scheifele's 88th point on the season, setting a new career-high.

Some feistiness incurred as the period wore on. Josh Manson interfered with Morgan Barron, who attempted to stand up for himself in a fight, but came out on the wrong end, to the tune of what looked like a concussion as Manson's fist hit Barron's head, before Barron's head hit the ice. 

Neal Pionk and Devon Toews later exchanged coincidental minors as tempered boiled over with minutes to play. 

Despite momentarily pulling Hellebuyck for the extra attacker, the Jets were unable to muster up any sort of offence in the final minute - actually opting for violence over offence. 

MacKinnon's second of two third period goals stood as the difference in the 3-2 final.

"You know, they're a good team," Scheifele said. "They they make a lot of plays. They got some pretty dynamic players on the other side. So I don't really know actually we, that's the thing. We had our chances, especially early. We had a couple chances to get a few more, and Blackwood made some big saves. So, obviously we get, we get them on Saturday. So we just got to try to ramp it up again come Saturday."

Hellebuyck turned aside 32 of the 35 pucks fired his way by Colorado, while Blackwood made 22 saves on the 24 Jets shots. 

Winnipeg now heads out of town for a four-game road trip, which begins with the second half of the home-and-home with the Avalanche on Saturday evening.